Flocked open looped pile fabric and method of making same

ABSTRACT

A FLOCKED FABRIC COMPRISING AN OPEN LOOPED PILE FABRIC BASE HAVING SOME LOOPS PERMANENTLY AND SUBSTANTIALLY RAISED FROM THE MAJOR SURFACE OF THE BASE FABRIC, AND FLOCK FIBERS ADHERED TO THIS FABRIC.

FLOCKED OPEN LOOPED PILE FABRIC AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Filed Dec. 10, 1970 Juhe 27, 1972 v, RIQRDAN 2 Sheets-Shut} FIG.I

FIG.2

FLOCKED 0mm LOOPED PILE FABRIC AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Filed Dec. 10, 1970 June 27, 1972 v. P. RIORDAN 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG 4 FIG 5 FIG 6 United States Patent @fiCfi 3,672,929 Patented June 27, 1972 US. Cl. 117-25 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF DISCLOSURE A flocked fabric comprising an open looped pile fabric base having some loops permanently and substantially raised from the major surface of the base fabric, and flock fibers adhered to this fabric.

This invention relates to flocking.

Conventional flocked fabrics, consisting of tiny fibers adhered to a suitable backing, such as fabric, have usually had a brush-like appearance, attractive and useful for some purposes, but severely limiting the aesthetic possibilities for the fabrics. Applying adhesive in decorative patterns by conventional print rollers allows one to flock a backing in a preselected pattern, but large areas must remain unflocked. By passing the patterned flocked fabric through a flocking system again, one could apply another flock layer and perhaps substantially retain the pattern, but not in an overall flocked fabric. In addition to the additional equipment and time-consuming steps required for such operations, and the potentially unsatisfactory prodnot that results when flocked is layered, the brush-like appearance still remains, however, regularly broken by the pattern.

An object of this invention is to provide novel, plush, decorative, and versatile flocked fabrics.

A further object is to provide novel and improved flocked fabrics particularly useful in carpeting, wall-coverings, upholstery, clothing (e.g., as lining or as simulated fur exterior) and the like, without the necessity of applying adhesive in predetermined patterns or flock in multiple layers.

The invention features a flocked fabric comprising an open looped pile fabn'c base having some loops permanently and substantially raised from the major surface of the base fabric, and flock fibers adhered to this fabric. The fabric base may be made by teasing an open-looped pile fabric to raise some but not all of the loops above their unteased height, setting the fabric while so teased, and thereafter adhering flock fibers to exposed surfaces of the fabric.

Such a flocked fabric has the plush and unique appearance of a plurality of flock-covered peaks, which may be randomly disposed across the fabric surface as well as of varying height, each peak formed of a fabric base (e.g., a teased, raised loop or loops) to which flock fibers are adhered, with the flock fibers oriented in a multiplicity of directions.

In a preferred embodiment, a terry-cloth fabric is teased to raise the loops; a curable (preferably, resilient) adhesive is sprayed on the fabric to set the fabric in a teased configuration; the fabric, thus set, is coated with a second curable adhesive; flock fibers are deposited onto the second adhesive; and, the adhesives are then cured.

Other objects, features and advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, taken together with the attached drawings and photograph thereof, in which:

FIG. 1 is a photograph, approximately to'scale, of a flocked fabric embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is another photograph of the flocked fabric of FIG. 1, at about 5 times magnification;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a process for preparing flocked fabrics according to this invention;

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a portion of a starting fabric material useful for producing such flocked fabrics;

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of the fabric of FIG. 4, with some of its loops raised to a set, teased configuration; and,

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of the final flocked fabric produced from that of FIGS. 4 and 5 Referring first to FIGS. 3-6, a base closed loop pile fabric 10, such as terry-cloth, is fed a supply roll 12 over idle rollers 14 past a pair of reversely rotating stiff brushes 16, the bristles of which tease the fabric 10 by engaging its loops 17 and raising some loops 18 off the surface, while leaving other loops 19 untouched, all in a random manner. Other loops, not shown, may tend to lie even flatter along the surface, as in conventional towel grade terry-cloth. A curable adhesive 20 (e.g., a conventional flocking adhesive such as the water base acrylic adhesive Rohm & Haas 13-269) by sprayer 22 onto the teased fabric clinging to and even somewhat impregnating the loops. The clinging adhesive is shown in exaggerated fashion in FIG. 5 on fiber 18a (it being understood that all fibers 18 are similarly coated). When the teased, adhesive coated fabric is then passed to drying oven 24, the adhesive 20 is dried so as to set the fabric as shown in FIG. 5, with the teased loops 18 permanently set in the teased configuration.

The fabric is then passed under adhesive applicator roller 26, which applies a second curable conventional flocking adhesive 27 (which may be identical to adhesive 20, except more viscous), preferably in a broken form onto the surface of the teased, set fabric, i.e., onto substantially all the exposed surfaces of both the raised loops and the base of the fabric (again, only fiber 18a being illustratively shown with an adhesive layer 27). The adhesive 27 should not contain any solvents for the cured adhesive 20. The fabric, coated with discrete, closely spaced amounts of adhesive (so as to retain flexibility in the ultimate flocked fabric while achieving overall flock coverage) is then directed into a conventional electrostatic flocking apparatus 34, such as of the type described in US. Pat, No. 2,992,126, Flocking Machine and Method. In such a device, flock fibers are deposited from a supply above the fabric, onto the fabric, all the while applying an electrostatic field across the fabric (with lines of force generally in the direction of flock travel to the fabric). Flock fibers 35 (e.g., of nylon) will be secured in apparatus 34 to the adhesive, as shown in FIG. 6. The flocked fabric is then passed to oven 36, wherein the adhesives 20 and 27 are cured, and may be recovered on takeup roller 38.

The resultant flocked fabric, as shown schematically in FIG. 6, and photographically in FIGS. 1 and 2, has a plush, irregular surface having randomly located peaks or ridges, of varying heights, all flock covered, with the lower fabric areas between the peaks also covered with sflock fibers. Thus the flock fibers not only terminate at various heights above the bare fabric, but are oriented in substantially all possible directions (shown particularly in FIG. 2), in marked contrast to the stiff, brush-like appearance of conventional flocked fabrics. The looped fabric having been preset in the teased conformation, the resultant flocked fabric will retain the plush surface, resiliently returning to the preset shape whenever a temporarily flattening pressure (e.g., such as may be applied during application of adhesive 27) is removed.

Any conventional flocking adhesives may be used for both adhesive coatings, including acrylic, vinyl, and urethane adhesives. An adhesive combination in which the first applied adhesive is merely a diluted version of the laterapplied adhesive is. particularly preferred. Similarly, any pile fabric having closed "loops is useful, so long as it issufliciently loosely woven so'as toallow some loops to be raised from the base fabric surface when the fabric is teased, as by beating or brushing, without damaging the integrity of the base fabric or'breaking a great number of the loops. The adhesive applied may be chosen to stifit'en'the limp base fabric as desired, in accordance with the ultimate use to be made of the fabric, and, as well, tend to strengthen the fabric. Towel-grade terry cloth provides an inexpensive, teasable fabric base for "a variety of flocked fabrics, and may be resiliently set in teased conformation to provide a soft, comfortable 1; A method for making a flocked fabric comprising the steps ofteasing an open-looped pile fabric to raise some but not all of the loops above their unteased height, I

"setting said fabric while so teased, and thereafter adhering flock fibers to exposed surfaces of said fabric. 2. The method of claim 1 wherein said fabric is set b spraying a curable adhesive onto said fabric, while so teased.

. ,1 4. 3. The method of claim 2 wherein said setfabric is coated with a second curable adhesive, said flock fibers are depositedonto said coated (fabric, and--saidsecond adhesive is cured to adhere said flock fibers.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein said adhesive is resilient.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said pile fabric is terry-cloth. I 1

6.'A flocked fabric comprising an-open looped "pile fabric base having some loops permanently and substantially raised from the major surface of said base fabric, and flock fibers adhered to the loops of said fabric. 4 4

"7. The flocked fabric of claim 6 wherein said fabric base is terry-cloth.

8. The flocked fabric of claim 6 wherein said loops are coated with cured adhesive to permanently set said loops in a raised position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,096,561 7/1963 McNally et a1. 1 61-64 3,262,128 7/1966 Morgan et al 117-33 3,496,054 2/1970 Baigas, Jr. 117-33 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,126,331 9/1968 Great Britain 161-64 ROBERT F. BURNETT, Primary Examiner R. O. LIN K'ER, 111., Assistant Examiner US. Cl. XJR.

ll729, 33; l56279; 161-64 

